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Comments

Anyone living in Santa Barbara County with ties to politicians in Canada, please phone them now and appeal to them to send their supertanker. Private citizens sometimes have more freedom to actthan politicians hampered by protocol and hierarchy. Anyone here with personal or business ties to Maria Shriver or Arnold, please call them now to request that they contact any private companies who have supertankers. Anyone with ties to Melinda or Bill Gates, now is thetime to call them. Private citizens can push forward to save our town, our state, and our country from future devastating fires. It makes no sense to feel helpless or pray for a change in the wind, when a plane exists that can seal off all four sides of any fire in a matter of minutes, not hours, or days. California wildland fires, under even the mildest temperature conditions, quickly get out of control due to deadly sundowner winds. All the fire personnel inthe US could not stop these fires when the winds gust. I watched as the fire slowly spread in the early morning hours,when it was less than 100 acres in size. The fireman on dutyacross from the La Patera Ranch said no planes or helicopters could fly at night to drop water, because of the mountains. All the more reason to buy or lease a supertanker plane that can spray fire retardant as fast as one mile per minute, during daylight hours. Did you know that our Forest Service continually refuses to okay the Evergreen Supertanker plane? Even after our Zaca Fire of July 2007. Here is a promotional video of it in action:

What can visionary citizens of Santa Barbara County do to create a think-tank of people able to marshall private resources from private citizens, in order to purchase a Supertanker for Santa Barbara? When we don't need it, we can rent the plane out to fight other fires, helping others, to cover our expenses for fuel and supplies. Surely there are enough deep pockets here and in Los Angeles to cover the expense. Regular people could also contribute to create joint ownership. California is the 8th largest economic power in the world, and we can do better than this. Instead of squabbling over fire prevention tactics for another 24 years, with limited political will and financial resources, let's move forward, on this July 4th, believing that independence and freedom from devastating fires is possible in the very near future.

As a former firefighter, I have grudging respect for the Air Corps; they provide a vital and important function in wild land fire management.

But they ain't the Cavalry, and too often in these discussions I've seen the attitude that with (or without) the bombers all hope is gained (or lost).

t's the people, not the hardware.

Better to have planes & heli- than not, but proper management, seasoning, and leadership, a bit of luck with weather (which we have generally had up to this point), and luck in general, is what it will take to beat back this fiery scourge.